第 15 章：经济和政府影响

课程学习目标：

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15.1 Influencing Government Policy

个人和企业对政府政策的影响：

个人和企业可以通过投票、游说和参与公众咨询等各种方式影响政府政策。例如，倡导有利于小企业的税收改革可以促成减轻税收负担的立法，直接影响小企业主的财务状况。参与公民活动，如参加市政厅会议或写信给民选官员，也可以影响影响更广泛经济环境的政策。

现实生活中的例子：

A coalition of small business owners might lobby for a reduction in business rates, leading to legislation that decreases their operational costs and improves profitability.

15.2 Relationship Between Personal Finance and Government Policy

个人财务状况与政府政策之间存在着错综复杂的联系。税收、利率和政府支出等经济政策会直接影响个人就业机会、投资回报和借贷成本。

例如：

如果政府决定提高最低工资，这可能会增加许多工人的可支配收入，从而可能增加支出和储蓄。相反，央行设定的更高利率可能会增加贷款成本，影响个人如何管理债务和为未来储蓄。

数字： The Impact of Economic Policies on Your Finances

描述：

This image illustrates how broad economic policies, made by a government and its central bank, have a direct effect on an individual’s personal financial situation. It likely breaks down the two primary types of policy—货币政策 (controlling interest rates) and 财政政策 (government taxing and spending). The graphic connects these high-level actions to everyday financial realities like the cost of loans and the value of savings.

要点：

货币政策, managed by a country’s central bank, directly influences 利率. This determines how expensive it is to borrow money and how much you earn on your savings.
财政政策 refers to the government’s decisions on taxation and spending. Changes in taxes can affect your disposable income, while government spending can impact job availability and economic growth.
These policies are used to manage 通货膨胀, which affects the purchasing power of your money—how much you can buy with it.
The economic environment created by these policies can impact the performance of investments, including the 股市 and bonds.

信息应用：

Understanding these policies helps you see the “big picture” behind why your savings account rates change or why your taxes go up or down.
When you hear news about the central bank changing 利率, you can anticipate the effect it will have on your mortgage payments and savings returns.
This knowledge allows you to make more strategic financial decisions and better prepare for how shifts in the national economy might affect your personal budget and investments.

15.3 Inflation and Global Currency Values

Inflation affects not only local prices but also the global value of the U.S. dollar. When inflation rises in the U.S., the dollar may lose value compared to other currencies, making imported goods more expensive but boosting exports. Fluctuations in currency values can affect travel costs, international investing, and the price of imported goods for consumers. Being aware of these global impacts helps individuals make smarter saving, spending, and investment decisions, especially when participating in the global economy.

例子: If inflation rises faster in the U.S. than in Europe, the U.S. dollar may weaken against the euro, making European vacations more expensive for Americans.

15.4 Economic Systems and Personal Wealth

一个国家的经济制度类型（例如资本主义、社会主义、混合经济）会影响个人在积累个人财富时面临的机遇和挑战。在资本主义经济中，对自由市场和私有制的重视往往会为通过创业和投资创造财富提供更多机会。然而，这也可能需要在竞争激烈的环境中前行并管理更大的金融风险。

社会比较，即评估一个人与同龄人相比的财务成功程度，可以激励或阻碍财务决策和行为。了解经济和政府结构如何影响这些比较，可以帮助个人制定切合实际的目标，并通过做出明智的财务决策为社会福祉做出贡献。

履行社会责任示例： 在政府提供医疗保健或教育等特定服务的混合经济中，个人可能不仅为了个人利益而专注于积累财富，还通过纳税或慈善事业为社会做出贡献。这种个人抱负与社会责任的结合说明了经济体系和政府政策如何构成个人追求个人财富的环境。

总之，了解如何驾驭和影响政府政策、认识个人财务与更广泛的经济措施之间的相互作用、以及在一国的经济框架内调整个人财富积累策略，对于个人而言，这些都是改善财务状况并为社会进步做出贡献的关键步骤。

15.5 Financial Fraud and Consumer Protection

With increasing financial activity online, fraud risks like identity theft, phishing scams, and Ponzi schemes are growing. Common scams include fake job offers, phishing emails asking for personal information, and fraudulent investment opportunities.

Ways to Protect Yourself:

Regularly monitor your credit reports.
Be cautious of unsolicited requests for personal information.
Use strong passwords and security measures online.

If you become a victim:

You can report fraud to organizations like the 联邦贸易委员会（FTC）, State Attorney General’s offices，和 消费者金融保护局（CFPB）. Immediate reporting helps limit losses and prevents further fraud.

例子: After noticing a suspicious charge on her credit card, Mia reported it to the FTC and placed a fraud alert on her credit report to prevent further unauthorized activity.